May 2024 advocacy and policy updates
SF City Budget Season is Here!
Every year, the city & county of San Francisco develops a budget that details both revenue projections and spending plans for the next two fiscal years for city departments. Over the course of May & June, the Board of Supervisors, Mayor’s office and city departments will be meeting with community members and holding hearings to decide the financial future of San Francisco.
With an already large deficit looming at the state level, San Francisco is also facing financial challenges. Nevertheless, financial constraints should not stop San Francisco from reaching its goal of becoming the first city in the world to get to zero new HIV transmissions, zero new AIDS-related deaths and zero HIV-related stigma through the Getting to Zero initiative.
San Francisco Community Health Center, along with several HIV-service organizations, are working together to call for the city to continue to show up for our communities and ensure critical investments make the budget.
Outlined below, we wanted to elevate budget priorities that we support going into this year’s budget season—crafted by the HIV/AIDS Provider Network (HAPN):
Preserve the HIV Care Safety Net: San Francisco must ensure that no cuts are made to funding to ensure that people living with HIV have access to adequate care and services.
Support HIV Organizations in San Francisco: Provide cost of doing business & cost of living adjustments in contracts to HIV organizations to support them in providing crucial services.
HIV Housing Subsidies: Fund for 200 additional housing subsidies for people living with HIV.
Mental Health for Long Term Survivors: Fund additional mental health services and coordination for people aging with HIV.
Intensive Case Management: Fund intensive case management services for our vulnerable community members.
PrEP and PEP for Black & Latinx Communities: Expand navigation services to prevent HIV transmission among Black & Latinx communities.
Safer Consumption Sites: Open and fund the implementation of an overdose prevention sites.